It is already known that a certain anion exchange resin has the effect of lowering the level of cholesterol in blood and therefore is applicable as a cholesterol reducing agent (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,499,960 and 3,780,171, U. K. Patent No. 929,391, a published Japanese Patent Application (Kokai) No. Sho 53-10386). The mechanism by which the level of cholesterol in blood is lowered by taking the anion exchange resin is considered as follows. Namely, the anion exchange resin adsorbs and fixes bile acids in the intestinal tract to prevent the reabsorption of the bile acids, and in the liver conversion from cholesterol, which is in an equilibrium relation with bile acids, to bile acids is stimulated by this action, and consequently, the cholesterol in blood is reduced.
Cholestyramine, a typical anion exchange resin which is used as a cholesterol reducing agent, has been employed as an agent for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia extensively and clinically. However, cholestyramine has the disadvantage that it must be taken in high doses (from 8 to 16 g per day except for excipients) to obtain effective action clinically. Furthermore, cholestyramine is chemical-structurally unstable and eliminates amines easily because it has quaternary ammonium groups at the benzyl position. Accordingly, cholestyramine has a bad smell typical to an aliphatic amine and is difficult to use by itself. Therefore, cholestyramine must be used together with a deodorant or a fragrance, or must be used after coating on the surface to reduce the bad smell. In consequence, there remains a problem that it is obliged to increase the amount of the dosage owing to use of an additive.